Dayton, Montana

There are many boat ramps to access Flathead Lake, but the closest location to Wild Horse Island is Dayton, MT. Dayton offers easy access with only about a 1-hour paddle to the island for the novice kayakers. Unfortunately, the boat ramp in Dayton does not have room for parking, thus it is only a...

Drive to the North Flathead Launch in Somers, MT (15 miles south of Kalispell). Launch the kayaks and head south towards the yacht club. Once past the yacht club, paddle eastward, you should come upon a wooden shack, a number of wooden poles, and an island. Continue eastward past these various fe...

Flathead Lake is huge, and gorgeous. It's the biggest lake in Montana and certainly one worth spending some time on. The water is surprisingly warm, and the views are amazing. If you are passing through the area, find a place to rent some paddleboards and hit the water around golden hour in the e...

To get to this swimming hole you drive south from Hungry Horse on the West Side Road (Forest Road 895) 33.6 miles to the Graves Creek Campground. Park in the small parking lot with the bear box and outhouse, opposite the campground closer to the lake. Follow the path as it leads you past the casc...

Spotted Bear Beach is a secluded white sand beach in the middle of Montana. To get here from the town of Hungry Horse, drive east on Highway 2 for ½ mile to the East Side Reservoir Road #38. Turn right (south) onto Road #38 and drive on through the town of Martin City. After two miles the pavemen...

Rent kayaks at the shore of Lake McDonald and take them out for the day. Make sure to start early to get a full day in and leave yourself enough time to stop for lunch. There are multiple places to pull off and bring your kayaks onto the shore and do some small hikes. The views are spectacular fr...